This invention relates to a vehicle transmission control system for a multiple gear ratio transmission, in particular a transmission control system having a shift or speed select lever and a forward-neutral-reverse or directional control lever.
It is known to provide vehicles with a transmission control system having a speed select or shift lever for selecting transmission gear ratios and a directional control lever with forward, neutral and reverse positions. With such a system the operator is not always required to move the directional control lever into its neutral position when park is engaged. If such an operator leaves and re-enters the vehicle, or if a new operator enters the vehicle, the lever may be moved out of park and into a selected gear position without the operator being aware of the position of the directional control lever. As a result, the vehicle may start moving in a direction not expected or not intended by the operator.